Thiruvananthapuram: As the union health ministry gave nod for establishing an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Kerala, the state government is speeding up the process of making land available for the premier institute.

The government had identified land in Kinalur, Kozhikode suitable for the medical college. The revenue department handed over 153.46 acres of land to KSIDC for an industrial park. The industries department has now ordered return of the land. The revenue department will then hand it over to the director of medical education under the state health department.

Earlier, the union health ministry had clarified that the finance ministry is processing the file on AIIMS in Kerala. The state has been repeating the demand ahead of every union budget. Besides, the chief minister himself has taken the matter to the prime minister multiple times, including in his last meeting. The reaction of the health ministry came when K Muraleedharan MP sought to establish the premier institute in his constituency.

Health minister Veena George had earlier made it clear that if AIIMS if approved, it will be in Kinalur. The government is also planning to attach 80 acres of adjacent private land for further development of the institute.

Besides Kinalur, the government had suggested Nettukaltheri of Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam Medical College and Kalamassery HMT as suitable locations for AIIMS.